


Meet Me Halfway

by HBossWrites



Category: Red vs. Blue
Genre: Dexter Grif & Agent Carolina - Freeform, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-25
Updated: 2018-12-25
Packaged: 2019-09-27 00:30:20
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,223
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17151905
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HBossWrites/pseuds/HBossWrites
Summary: Grif really likes the moon, and he even enjoys hanging out with Carolina, if only he could get his feelings through to Simmons without them feeling like colossal dweebs.This is a gift for rvbshitpostchannel, through the Red vs Blue Secret Santa gift exchange.





	Meet Me Halfway

**Author's Note:**

  * For [rvbshitpostchannel](https://archiveofourown.org/gifts?recipient=rvbshitpostchannel).



Grif liked the moon.

 

Like, a lot.

 

The moon was fucking amazing, actually. They had food (actual _real_ food), bases (he only felt a little bad that Kimball apparently diverted a decent chunk of the rebuilding funds to get them settled in their shiny new bases and out of the way), even TV that didn’t exclusively play Reservoir Dogs on repeat (thanks for that, Tucker).

 

The only bad thing was…well…dealing with the aftermath of Tucker’s ‘I don’t see what’s wrong with sex pollening an entire planet’ party.

 

Things were ok with Simmons. When they were around the others it was pretty much as things always were, but when they were alone, they were awkward. Grif didn’t really know what to do about it, since they weren’t exactly dating, but they weren’t not dating, but the weren’t not, _not_ dating.

 

Case in point, movie nights.

 

Almost every night was movie night for Simmons and Grif, the only exceptions were movie nights with everyone. They’d burned through months of tv catching up to what they missed while on Chorus and circled back to the classics. They were halfway through Classic Run 1 of Doctor Who. Grif was curled up with a pilfered strawberry Yoo-hoo in one hand, Simmons hand in the other, and both pretended they weren’t totally leaning against each other for any reason beyond warmth.

 

“So,” Simmons shifted, pulling his shoulder slightly away from where it was pressed against Grif’s to find a more comfortable position, “You’re spending a lot of time with Carolina lately.”

 

It wasn’t a lie. Between relaxation training, band practice, and being the only guy there capable of braiding hair without pulling and simultaneously being able to watch the same Disney movies over and over (thanks to having a little sister), Grif got a lot of concentrated Carolina time.

 

“Yeah, it’s pretty great, Carolina brings pizza and beer to watch The Little Mermaid and she sees dead people in clouds. She’s my new favorite red.”

 

Grif freed his hand and tugged Simmons in by the shoulder so he was pressed into Grif’s side. It was better for sharing warmth, after all. Simmons froze like a cat not sure if it liked being petted before he eventually surrendered and relaxed into Grif’s side.

 

“So…are you dating her?”

 

He nearly choked on his rightfully pilfered Yoo-hoo.

 

“Whyyyy would I be dating Carolina?”

 

“Because…she’s pretty and smart and you like her.”

 

Grif put down the Yoo-hoo, more than a little concerned that he’d drop the thing with the way this _weird_ conversation was going.

 

“And if either of us liked each other like that, it’d mean something. No, I’m not dating Carolina. Even if I was interested and she was interested, she’s still not over the Lighter Guy. No one’s gonna get into that emotional minefield and live, except maybe Kimball.”

 

This was not a conversation Grif thought he’d be having. It wasn’t a conversation he WANTED to have. He thought that he and Simmons were…well, that they were past this particular flavor of bullshit.  
  
Guess not.  
  
He needed to change the subject, and fast, or they were both going to end up stressed as fuck.

 

“You know, the only bad part about being on the moon aside from not getting to see any of the new releases, is that we’re so far away from getting Carolina laid. You know Kimball would be all over it, or hell, I bet Grey’d be happy to try.”

 

Simmons snorted and snatched a throw blanket from the floor.

 

“As if we actually got to see the new releases when we were in Blood Gulch. If she dated a guy before, why are you convinced she should date Kimball?”

 

“I’ve got a sense for these things, I grew up with Kai, after all.”

 

Simmons tossed the blanket over their laps, sighed into Grif’s side, and finally stopped being all elbows into Grif’s ribcage.

 

“That doesn’t mean anything. Carolina and Kai are nothing alike.”

 

“They’d both do Kimball if they had the chance. Case closed. Watch the episode, geek.”

 

“Fatass.”

 

-

 

Every day at 3pm, without fail, Carolina marched herself to wherever Grif had set up shop that day for her relaxation training.

 

“Grif!”

 

Normally, he would only consider himself beholden to the sacrifices to the nap gods, meals and snack times, and geek time with Simmons. He’d be tempted to try harder to hide from Carolina if it didn’t keep pretty much everyone off his back when he wanted to get some good slacking in (and he couldn’t deny that he didn’t hate spending time with her, it kind of reminded him of hanging out with Kai, only with a lot less sex talk). They all wanted Carolina to have the chance to destress, something she’d clearly never learned as a child or in the military, which meant that as long as Grif was helping her, he was untouchable.

 

Things were good, finally good, really good.

 

Still, that didn’t mean he could make it easy on her. She didn’t like it when he just went with the flow, because it felt _too_ easy for her, and easy meant she needed more pressure. She needed just enough complaining and bribery to make it feel like she earned Grif’s time and attention, like she had to pay him with food and being really good at stuff to make him like her.

 

It was a shit mindset, but at least she knew it was there and they were getting better about getting rid of that, too. Pretty soon she’d be able to settle for just being friends without feeling like she had to earn it so bad.

 

Grif didn’t open his eyes when Carolina blocked the sunlight, opting to ignore her until she made a move. She poked Grif’s shoulder with her foot, and he could hear the amusement in her voice.

 

“Are you dead?”

 

“Nope. Sleeping.”

 

“Doesn’t sound like sleeping.”

 

Grif let out an obnoxious snore.

 

“Ok, well, if you’re sleeping, you clearly don’t need the cold pizza I snuck us from the Blue base kitchen.”

 

With a mighty groan, he sat up and made grabby hands at her. Cold pizza not inspiring the snap to attention that fresh, hot pizza would, but still, she did bring him his favorite thing ever, and she did it without telling anyone first and making sure it was ok. Carolina was starting to get used to treating them less like soldiers in her employ and more like teammates she could really depend on. More like family.

 

It was nauseatingly adorable.

 

Carolina pulled the vacuum sealed pizza into Grif’s line of sight and opened the container, letting Grif take the first slice because she really was the best of chicks. Between bites, Grif talked about his favorite pizza place from before the war and the sheer number of hours he’s spent bumming their wifi and enjoying the all you could eat pizza buffet while being a struggling college student, and Carolina listened at ate along with some pinched concern around her eyes.

 

“Food is good.”

 

He knew it was a big deal for her, eating outside with her helmet off, after so long where she had to constantly be on guard. During their first few weeks, she’d started jumping at shadows, convinced that there was someone or something on the planet that was out to get them, and the paranoia was enough to drive the guys batty.

 

“You know, Grif, you should really say something to Simmons.”

 

Sure, she’d been right about the reptaursaurs, but that kind of thing couldn’t last. She’d broken down after she started hanging out with Grif. They’d made good progress.

 

“I say plenty to Simmons all the time. It’s kind of our thing. He talks to me, I talk to him, we bitch about all of you assholes, and life is good.”

 

Even if she sucked at singing, she still came to band practice.

 

“You know what I mean.”

 

“No, I don’t.”

 

Carolina got that nosey look on her face that said she had something to say and Grif wasn’t going to like it.

 

“Grif, I’m going to be your friend right now, ok?”

 

Nothing good in the history of ever came after a sentence like that.

 

“Okaaaaay?”

 

“You need to stop being afraid of what you want.”

 

And if that wasn’t an ominous thing to say, Grif didn’t know what was. It was worse than ‘I’m going to be your friend right now, ok?’. He had a feeling he was _not_ going to enjoy this conversation.

 

“You keep waiting, maintaining the status quo, keeping quiet—“

 

“We both know I don’t do that, holding back isn’t really my thing.”

 

“And if you don’t say something to Simmons soon, it may be too late.”

 

Oof. Simmons talk.

 

Simmons talk was…weird. Most of the guys acted like nothing was different, other than them being assholes and making fun of Grif and Simmons for…well, being stuck in a closet together. Simmons was totally normal most of the time, but things were definitely awkward when they were alone since they were still getting used to being…physical and stuff.

 

“We’re taking it slow after the shit that went down on Chorus, we don’t want to rush in to dating. Besides, we’re already fake married, what’s the next step after that, anyway? Fake divorce?”

 

“Grif—”

 

“Simmons isn’t going anywhere, Carolina.”

 

“You don’t know that.”

 

Grif felt a twinge of anxiety run through him faster than Sarge’s chili.

 

Simmons sometimes talked about leaving the moon and heading for more interesting places. Places with better tech, streaming services, and the newest season of Doctor Who readily available. They didn’t have off planet streaming yet, but it was coming. Chorus was getting interest from Earth, Bitters had mentioned Chilis coming to open a location in his and Matthews’ last message.

 

“Do you know something I don’t?”

 

Maybe Simmons was bored with the moon and their new peaceful life.

 

Maybe Simmons was bored with Grif now that he was a war hero who could talk to chicks.

 

 “Only that sometimes you depend on people, and sometimes they aren’t there when you need them. Sometimes they leave. Sometimes they die. And if you wait to tell them how much you care because you think you’ve got time, you might wake up one day and realize you lost him and you never said anything. Not when it mattered.”

 

And boy, did that feel like projection, especially when Carolina broke out the lighter Wash told them never to mention no matter how loudly she messed with it. She’s started to flick it open and closed in a familiar motion, like she’d done it a thousand times.

 

“You need to talk about it?”

 

 “I had my chance to talk about it, and I blew it. I let my fear, my insecurity, and my needs to drive a wedge between myself and the people I loved. The…person…I loved. You’ve still got time, for however long it lasts.”

 

Carolina stood up and dusted off her pants.

 

“I don’t think that I’m up for relaxing today. You have fun, Grif.”

 

“Carolina, you can’t skip out on cloud watching. Come on, I won’t ask invasive questions as long as you’re telling me that you see bunnies in the sky.”

 

She smiled in that awkward way that said she appreciated the push and sat back down next to Grif to looked up at the sky. The clouds were the perfect fluffy variety that made excellent shapes in the sky as they floated along.

 

“If there are bunnies in the sky, we’re going back to Chorus. It means that Doctor Grey finally got bored with all the alien tech and started breeding mutant flying rabbits that can survive the vacuum of space, and that’s not something anyone should be forced to deal with alone.”

 

Grif flopped back and propped his head against his arms.

 

“Just lay down and admit you miss Kimball.”

 

She dropped back onto the grass and mimicked Grif’s pose, and they were back in business.

 

“Sure, right when you admit that you want to pin Simmons to the ground and kiss him while Star Trek plays seductively in the background.”

 

“Please, as if I could get Simmons to pay attention to me kissing him while Star Trek was playing. Maybe if it was Voyager.”

 

-

 

Carolina’s words stuck in Grif’s head all through movie night.

 

Not that it was hard, anything to do with Simmons stuck in Grif’s head most days.

 

Still, she wasn’t wrong. He needed to say something to Simmons about them and what Grif hoped was their relationship moving forward. About how he fucking loved Simmons and that being on this moon together was just about fucking perfect. About…how much he fucking loved Simmons and if this was the rest of their lives, it would be fucking amazing.

 

Simmons would never say it first, too many years with his dad breathing down his neck about not being manly enough meant that Simmons had a hard time dealing with his own emotions, let alone putting those emotions into words that other people could hear and judge him on.

 

The loud grumbling from the tv room made Grif grin. Simmons had said he wanted to go through the zombie movie collection and rank them from acceptable to awful.

 

Grif opened the door and found himself face to face with an enraged Simmons.

 

“Grif! This is so stupid! None of these people are willing to help out their people, they just keep abandoning each other! It’s so stupid! You can’t survive an apocalypse on your own!”

 

Simmons screeching was like music to Grif’s ears. He settled in on the couch and Simmons filled him in on the movie so far. He was right, this one _was_ really stupid.

 

Still, it was a great starting point.

 

“You know, if the world was ending right now, if there was a zombie plague or some kind of natural disaster or something, you’re the guy I’d want to be my survival buddy.”

 

“Well, yeah? I know general first aid.”

 

“And yet _I_ was the one who fixed Sarge after he was shot.”

 

Simmons crossed his arms and stared Grif down.

 

“You’d be stupid not to want to be my survival partner. I’m great! I’m part cyborg and I’m smart!”

 

Come on, Grif, say the words.

 

“I’m serious, though. Here, Chorus, Blood Gulch, Earth, doesn’t fucking matter. I’d want you on my side.”

 

Grif reached out and gently took Simmons hand in his own. Simmons didn’t pull away, so Grif moved a little closer, then a little more, until they were pressed against one another and Simmons dropped his head on Grif’s shoulder.

 

Simmons was all sharp points and hard pieces, too little fat on the parts of him that were still flesh, but he melted like a kitten into Grif and made a weird noise that was completely goofy and 100% Simmons.

 

It was awkward, they were awkward, but it was everything Grif expected, everything he wanted and more.

 

They moved in for a kiss, Simmons nose got caught in the move.

 

“OW!”

 

“Shit!”

 

They broke apart, clutching their respective faces.

 

This could be it, Grif could walk away, Simmons could walk away, it could be over. They’d try again later, when things were more romantic or whatever.

 

Instead, Grif laughed.

 

Simmons startled, not clear if it was a good laugh or a bad laugh. Grif smiled wide and pulled Simmons in by his wrist, tugging until they were facing each other again and their foreheads were pressed together.

 

He laughed harder.

 

Timidly, Simmons joined in, giggling and snorting.

 

They curled into one another, laughing themselves sick.

 

Grif reached out and took Simmons hand, noting the exposed skin pinken quickly. Simmons hand started to sweat.

 

He pulled Simmons onto his chest and ignored the squeak and the flailing limbs jammed into him.

 

God, they were obvious, weren’t they?

 

It was ok though, Grif didn’t really mind.

 

“Um, ah, Grif?”

 

Simmons pulled the box out of his pocket and shoved it into Grif’s hand.

 

“HERE!”

 

What?

 

Grif tentatively tugged at the cardboard lid. Inside the box was a piece of metal with…

 

Oh my god.

 

It was a ring.

 

A RING?!

 

_A RING?!?!?!_

 

Grif gawped like a fish.

 

“A ring?”

 

He squeaked.

 

He cleared his throat and tried again.

 

“A ring?”

 

Simmons cleared his throat and pinned Grif’s eyes with his own.

 

“You and I have been ‘not dating’ for years at this point, Grif. We’ve been screwing in supply closets long before Chorus, and we have never _ever_ been a secret. We’re already fake married for the insurance and so I can take care of Kai if anything happens to you, not that I want anything to happen!”  
  
Grif laughed. He couldn’t help it. What timing was this?!  
  
Simmons grimaced.  
  
“You don’t have to laugh at me.”  
  
“I’m not, this is just…it’s too perfect.”  
  
Grif pulled a now slightly squished box out of his pocket and handed it to Simmons.  
  


Simmons ring had the Star Trek logo carved into the side, subtle, and easily worn on a chain or a different finger as something far less meaningful. It was designed to be hidden.

  
“We think alike, I guess. Not to mention, Carolina’s riding my ass about not appreciating you while I have you and this seems appropriate for us.”

 

Simmons opened the box, and pulled out a wedding band with two Cylons carved into the metal of the sides, glinting in the artificial light of the base. It was flashy, obvious, and even if it was more of a guy’s band, it was designed to draw attention. No one who looked at it would think of it as anything other than something other than a really geeky claim.

 

Babylon Five, their first geek night, and the moment that Grif knew that Simmons might be a colossally nerdy dork, but he was Grif’s colossally nerdy dork, forever and ever amen.

 

Simmons held the ring in his hand, brathing softly as he turned it this way and that. Anyone other than Grif would be offended, but Grif had known Simmons long enough to know that the man was doing everything he could to stall while he composed himself.

 

“I…”

 

Simmons stomped his foot.

 

“That is _incredibly_ unromantic, Grif! _Carolina_  gets on your case, so you propose?!”  
  
“Carolina didn’t know I had a ring already. Or maybe she did, but I didn’t tell her about it.”

 

Simmons floundered for a moment. His face turned beet red and he flapped his hand at Grif as if trying to dismiss him.

 

“Jesus, you couldn’t even take a knee or something?”

 

Simmons paused and sniffed the air.

 

“Are…are you wearing cologne?”

 

He was.  Grif had cleaned up today. His hair was neat and tidy, he had a clean, if wrinkled shirt, and Grif smelled faintly of that cologne that Donut bought him. Donut claimed that it was warm and masculine, but Grif enjoyed it because it reminded him of the sea.

  
  
Simmons knees trembled slightly.

 

“Is that a no?”

 

Grif leaned in and touched Simmons ear with his lips, his breath sending the sensitive skin tingling.

 

“Meet me halfway, Richard.”

 

And with that, Grif took a knee.

 

“Hey, Nerd?”

 

“Yeah, Fatass?”

 

“Marry me?”


End file.
